Electric starting system for internal-combustion engines



F. KRATZ AND G. HONOLD. ELECTRIC STIIIRTING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-M1918- 2:. 1i, INVENTEIFBS g ma BY ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-MEET I I r; KRATZ AND G. nonou).

ELECTRIC STARTING SYSTEM FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION men AUG- 1. ma.

1,368,635. Patented Feb. 15,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- nJVENTIJ as F. KRATZ AND G. HDNOLD.

ELECTRIC STARTING svsnm FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION suemzs.

APPLICATION FILED A116,], I9l8.

1,368,635. Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SNEET 3- lllllllllllllllllf'h- T INVENTDFG i ture in shunt relation 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mmzxnarz AND GOTTLGB HON OLD, OF STU'ITGART, GEBMANY,'ABSIGNOBS, BY

skilled in the'art to which it appertains to make and use. the same "K Our. invention. relates to electric start ng a for internal combustion engines an iimore particularly to such systems embodying an electric motor having a pimon normally disengaged from the engine gear but ture of the positiontoengage the. pinion with the 4 first connect the armawith .the held vlto suck :Q armature 'intocentered position of the gjfield'and thereupon engage the motor pinion "'{with'the engine gear; and to then connect armature in series'with the field by a or movement of the switch to start the ine into operation under its own power; to'utill'ze the movement of the armai to directly control the circuits after the j. T operation is initiated.

Igf-In accordance with our invention, the op- .ierator merely initiates the startin operation bycl a manually-operate initiating .switchi whereas the subsequent changes of the circuits reguired to first short circuit thenmature in series therewitlnare efo footed-automatically more electroma etica y operated switches controlled 1] t e' initiating switch and, in some-cases, y an auxiliary switch operated upon axial movement of. the armature or movement-of atedswitch for the motor or the battery. These systems not only operate in proper se: quence to effect the automatic msu t desired, but they are, in some cases,'snsceptible of a predetermination ofthe time period to'provide for-the action of difi'erent engines with which they are intended to be associated.

was used to In the accompanying diagrammatic draw-- represents -adapted upon axial movement of the armamotor-to'its magnetically cenl rior systems of this kind, either a. foot means of one or an electromagnetically-oper- T0 AMERICAN BOSCH MAGNE'I'O CQBPORATION, 01" NEW YORK, N. Y., A COBPOBATIOIET OF NEW YORK.

ELECTBIC STAETl NG SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

. I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 15 1921 a lication filed August 1, 1918.. semi No. 247,897.

ings illustrating a numberof diiferent embodiments within our invention,.Figure 1 a system in which the operated initiating switchis-intended to kept closed by the operator until the starting operation is completed; Fig. 2 represents a system in which the initiating switch may be opened before the starting operation'ls completed; Fig. 3 represents a system .in which manually-operated, means are provided for opening-'the circuit in case the motor pinion andengine gear do not mesh; Figs. 4 and 5 represent systems in which the battery current is discontinued automatically after a predetermined time, irrespective of the position of the armature; Fig. 6 represents a system in which the battery and motor switches are combined; and Fig. 7 represents amodiiied arrangement of the motor switch....;;;=

In Fig. 1, the armature a of the starting motor is dis ilaeeable axially within the field magnets normally being in magnetically decentered position as shown, butfcapable of being sucked, upon energization of the magnet,=against the spring cinto a magnetically-centered position where the pinion d meshes with the flywheel gear e of the en gine f to be started. A battery g, having one terminal grounded and the other connected to the battery switch It, serves as a source of current for the motor, The battery switch is operated upon energization of manuall the coil i from'the battery whenever the 'mannally-operated initiating .switch It is closed.

From the contacts of the battery switch It, a wire 1 leads to the contact m of the double-throw motor switch it having its contacts m, 'm connected by the starting resistance w. The contact a is connected by wire a to the brush a of the motor, and contact (F is connected by wire a to the brush a and by the wire 2 to contact m, the field winding p being connected between (1. and ground. A voltage coil q,

adapted to pull the switch it down across the contacts m m" m ainst the action of s JI'lH Q h b r, is connected between wire l and contact a which is adapted to be forced by the end if of the armature shaft into engagement with the grounded contact 45 when he armature IS in magnetically-centered position. The

voltage coil 12 serves the switch a, down after coil q is .denergized, but is unable by itself to' pull theswitch down. .The operation-of this system is as follows; To -startthe engine f into operation under w to contad; m and branching points. One

, 'branch -iniisei s.,ove'r thecontacts o, o and a wire 2":1nt'o the field windingp. Inasmuch as wire a. ofiers but little resistance, a strong .12) t flows th' ugh the field Winding 150 whrd hithe other branch including the groqn'ifwhei'eas only asmall, current wire .2,- brush a, "and armature (1, thereby producinga'sniall turning monieutof the armature, but a strong axial pull of the magnets on the farmature. This movement f enga s inion; dandgeare, and near its end t e s aft t closes the contacts 8, u to conneetthe battery 9 to coil q. The switch n closescontaets 1n-',m, and current flows thebattery' to switch It, wire I, contact 'm',1'n and thence directly into the wire 2 .thijoughthearniature and field in series. The engine f then rotates with a powerful tu rning inovementsuiiicicnt to bring'the engine to the proper speed.v As' soon as the en glue is started into operation-under its own power, the switch k, is manually opened,

thus disconnecting the .battery from the mo;

, tor andallowingtlie spring c to disengage the pinion "cl-from, gearge, if it has not already done so. If:

' In the foregoing arrangement, the switch k; must closed until the entire starting operat1on="is completed,'for if it were reconnected leased before that time, the switch h would interrupt th'e'supply of current prematurely.

. It is possible, however, to render the start mg operation enti'rely independent otth'e switch k-after it is once closed, by providin the battery switch h with another coil z tween wire Z and contact lever 10, as illustrated in Fig., 2. This lever is pressed by spring 12 against a' grounded contact 13,-whenever the insulatingp'in 11 permits. As long as the pinion d is out of mesh with gear e, the cooperativepontacts 10, 13 are separated, but when they are in mesh; those contacts are engaged.

' The systemofFig. 2 operates as follows: Upon closinkgthe manually-operated initiat- ,the battery switch It is closed,

thus engaging the motor and. engine, where-' upon contacts 10, 13 are engaged and coil 11 is energized to keep the switch It closed irrespective of the position of switch is. The starting operation continues as previously described in connection with Fig. 1,

In case the engine does not start, the pinion d remains in mesh with gear e, and therefore contacts 10, 13 remain closed.

This may also take place in case the teeth of the pinion and gear clash instead ofmesh ingt. In that event, contacts 10, 1 3 are not separated, and the batter will become exhauste'd. -To prevent this a special. hand switchll may be inserted in the circuit of coil i for openin that circuit, and thereby the battery switc I at will, as shown in 11 order, however, to automatically provide for this emergency, an air device may be provided on the shaft of the motor or on the battery switch. In 4, when the pinion 4 moves towardgear ej'the piston 15 of the airqdevice isdlsplaced to the left,

thereby creating a partial vacuum behind the piston. At the Sametime the piston 16 is shifted'to the left, as a result of'the air compression in the space 17, against the action of a weak sprin 18. The contacts 10, 13 thereby close an the coil 11 iscuergized. As the pistons are dis laced, they pass over openings 9 and20 0 channel 21,

so that the evacuat space behind piston 15 is connected to the space between the pistons. Since channel 21 is very narrow, the

pressure in the space 17 is reduced slowly, and in consequence thereof, the piston 16 will, after a time, which maybe redeter mined, open contacts 10,13. .In tiis way,

the battery switch It is opened after a pre determined time independently of the displacement of the armature. I

In the modification of Figs. 5 and Gfthe second phase of the startingoperation is controlled by a device brought into action as ares'ult oi the first phase.

' In Fig. 5 the battery switch It is con nected by the spring 20 to the piston of an oil dash pct 22;. Along with the piston there moves a grounded contact 23 cooperative with contact 24 connected to coil q. The piston 21 has a small adjustable opening 25. A spring 26 of much less strength than spring 20 moves the (piston upwardly after spring 20 is expands When the switchk is closed, the contacts of switch it are bridged and the spring 20 is placed under tension iond engages the gear e, the piston21. has

descended far enough to close contacts 23,

24. This-closes the motor switch n so that current flows from the battery through the armature and field in series. a In Fig. 6 the movable contact of the.bat-- tery switch It is connected with the armature :Z of the electromagnet m. At the opposite end of armature l'-,-'a'contact a cooperates At the other end of piston p, there is a contact '1" against which contact t is normally pressed by spring a. To the contact with contact 0' on'piston p of a dash pot 02' there is connected a plate et which, on

nected to brush a and through resistance 10.

to contact n',lthe brush a bcing'connecled to contacts to and t. The-cylinder g" has a pressure valve 27 and a hole 28'ada'pted to be finely adjusted. In the position shown,

the dash pot is under pressure, thepist n p being n its uppermost position. By (losing the switch It, armature l Contact n is then separated from contact 0', inasmuch as piston p of the dash pot descends slowly. The current then flows from battery 9 through switch It, 'spindle 25 of coil i resistance w to wire a. From there one branch flows to brush a and through the armature winding to brush a, where it combines to how through the closed contacts r','t' to the brush a. The strongl energized field then meshes pinion d with gear e- The dash pot acts in such manner that after a predetermined time, the piston p is allowed to descend, air being slowly drawn into the cylinder g through the hole 28. While piston p is thus'de'scending, plate u is first stopped by stop '0', and contacts t, 7 thereby separated, thus interrupting the branch circuit of the field winding. Only after the piston 7) falls further, are

contacts n, 0' closed. This causes the re sistance w to be cut out and the current to flow from switch lithrough contacts '12, 0, wire 2 to the armature and field windings in series. After switch it is opened, the

spring y forces up the armature l and causesthe piston 79' to return to its initially raised position, the pressure valve 27allowing theair to escape. A spring 100, weaker than spring 3;, may be employed for accelerating the descending movement of piston p.

In the modification of Fig. 7, mil q is grounded through contacts 8, u, and also through contacts which are closed upon operation of the motor switch n. Thus the closing of the motor switch is secured even when the contacts intended to be closed upon axial movement of the armature to its magneticallyvcentcred position are open, which may happen upon small axial oscillations of the armature. This modification is similar to Fig. 1 excepting that the auxiliary (Oil 1' shown there is replaced by contact 2!) in cooperation with grounded contact32. The contact 2! is ulled by spring 30 against the insulated on of spindle 31 of the motor of contacts 8, u.

of-the .lectrornagnot is pulled down, and the swi h h closed;

switch n. This contactis connected with. coil 9 so that when switch n is closed by en-.

gaging contacts a, u, it-engages contacts 29,. 32, in conseiuence of which the coil 9 is grounded in ependently of the separation It is obvious that the arrangements of Figs. 2, 3 or4 may besubstituted -for the,-

corresponding parts of the systems of Figs. 1, 5 or ,7.

Having thus described our invention, what 1. The combination with an internal com bustion engine havin a ear and an electric starting motor or (3% movement of the e engine having; a pinion normally disengaged from the gear but adapted .upon axis.

motor armature to engage the gear, of apparatus for supplying current to the motor,

comprising a, battery, a manually-operated initiating switch, an electromagnetically-op erated battery switch having an energizing winding controlled by the initiati switch, an electromagnetically operate motor switch having an energizing winding 'controlled by said batter switch, and an auxiliary switch operableli sis y said armature upon the axial movement of the latter, said motor switch having an energizing winding con-. trolled .by said auxiliary switch-.' r

2. The combination with an internal coinbustion engine having a gear and:an electric starting motor for the engine having 'a pinion normally disengaged from the gear ut adapted upon axialmovement of the motor armature to engage the gear of apparatus for supplying current to t e motor, comprising a battery, a manually operated initiating switch, an electromagnetically-operated battery switch having an energizing winding cdntrolled by the initiating switch,

' an auxiliary switch, automatically operated bythe armature during the axial movement thereof and an electromagnetically-operated motor switch having an energizing winding controlled by the. auxiliary switch.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a gear and an electric starting motor for the engine having a pinion normally disengaged from the gear but adapted uponaxial movement of the motor armature to engage the gear,:of.apparatus for su plying current to the motor, comprising a initiating switch, an electromagnetically operated battery switch having an ene gizing winding controlled by t e initiating switch, an auxiliary switch which is opened when the pinion is disengaged from the gear and closed when thepinion is enga d with the gear, and an electromagnetica ly-operated motor switch having an energizing winding controlled by the auxiliary switch.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a gear and an electric attery, a manuallybperated .f j starting motor for the engine having a to have an open position when the pinion is a inion normally disengaged from the gear chsen aged from the gear and to have a ut'adapted upon axial movement of the close position when the pinion is engaged motor armatnre to engage the. gear, of apwith the gear.

'6 paratus for silpplying current to the motor, 6. The combination with an internal com- 40 comprising a battery, an electromagnetibustion engine having a gear and an electric 1 call -opet ated switch, electrical connections starting motor for the engine havinga pinion therefor, said ,electromagneticaliy-operated normally disengaged from the" ar but switch ,in 'one position short circuiting the adapted upon axial movement of t e motor p111; the mrmatl re and field in supplying currenttothe motor, comprisi a. anvauxiliary switch movable by battery, an electromagneticall -operatedbabsaid armature connected in circuit with the tery switch connecting the 'hattery to the energizing gjwinding of I the electromagneti motor, a manuallyperated initiating switch cauye -f; fig fi i d 5 [e1 combination with an internal comtromagnetically-operated attery switch an v "engine having agear and an electric e1ectromagnetically-operated motor switch starting; motor for ,the engine having a having an energizing winding, a supplemen-fl inipn normally disengaged from the gear tary switch connected in an electrical cirinotgn grmature'to engage the gear, of aptromagneticaliy-operated motor switch and parameter-supplying current to the motor, being movable by the armature during the ciomprisingqiaflbattery, an electromagnetiaxial movement thereof to have an open callymperated battery switch and having an position when the pinion is disengaged from zt g energ'izmgjwinding connecting the battery the gear and to have a closed position when 60 motor, amanually-operated initiating the pinion is engaged with the gear, and a v s'witchj connected in the energizing circuit manually-operated switch in the circuit of a, of theijeleetromagneticall operated battery the supplemental switch.

- switch, an slectromagneti y-operated mo- In testimony whereof we afiixour signa- 80 tor'switch havinganene winding, and tures in presence of two witnesses.

a 'a supplementary switch operahl'e by said ar-- FRANZ KRATZ, f'gnatui'ej dur ng-the anial movement thereof P GOTTLOB HONOLD.

inan electncal circuit of the ener- Witnesses:

jjvfinding-iof; the electromagnetically- PAUL 'WOL'rART "nigtogflswitch; and being arranged o ifi l'lhfltulp qf the motor and in the other posiarmature to engage the gear, of apparatus for 45.

connected in an energizingfircuit ofthe elec- 50:

tiadaptednpon axial movement of the cuit of the energizing winding of the elec- 55- 

